Articles of furniture, such as bed chair and bed settee

ABSTRACT

508,355. Bed-settees &amp;c. NILSSON, J. E., and FRECH, C. March 14, 1938, No. 32202. Divided out of 503,277. [Class 52 (ii)] A chair convertible into a bed comprises a main frame within which are vertical slidable rigid legs, an extension section pivoted to the main frame and carrying leg-operating means which remain stationary while the.extension section is swung over to a predetermined amount, the axis of rotation of the extension section then becoming automatically transferred to another axis and causing the slidable legs to be projected and the main frame to rise. Figs. 3 and 6 show a chair-bedstead in which the main frame comprises a pair of boxes 2 carrying a wire mattress 4 between them and having guides 46 for the legs 21. The extension section comprises arms 6, back 7, a seat 9 supported on a wire mattress 8 extending between side boxes 10 the upper ends of which are enclosed in the arms 6. The boxes 10 may enclose front legs as described in Specification 503,277. The main frame and extension section are connected together by bars 11 which are hinged to the boxes 2 at 12 and to the boxes 10 at 13. When the extension section is first swung over it rotates about the hinges 13 without affecting the legs 21. Further rotation of the extension section causes lugs 58 thereon to abut against the bars 11 and these with the extension section then rotate as a whole about the hinges 12. The rotation of the bars 11 causes the main frame to rise and the legs 21 to be projected through the bottom of the main frame. In the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the operating bars 11 1 are connected to the legs 21 by linkwork aided by springs 55, 56. Figs. 7 and 8 show a construction in which cables and linkwork in the form of lazy-tongs are used for actuating the legs 21. The link 60 is pivoted to the lower end of the bar 11 and the pivot 61 is mounted on a slider 62 which can move along a slideway 63 under the action of a spring 64 fixed to a second slider 65 which is connected to the. slider 62 by flexible wire cables 66. The outer end of the lazy-tongs carries a roller 67 around which passes a cable 68 which is also wrapped round pulleys 69, 70 and is connected at its ends to a bar 57 fixed to the legs 21. When. the bar 11 is rotated about its pivot 12 by the lug 58 the lazy-tongs is extended, taking with it the roller 67 and shortening the vertical lengths of the cable 68 attached to the bar 57 and thus extending the legs 21 below the main frame of the bed. Figs. &#39;11 and 14 show a further modification in which chain-gearing racks and pinions are used for extending the legs 21 below the main frame. The bar 11 is connected to a chain 71 which moves over guides 72 and idle sprocket wheels 73 and rotates a sprocket 75 on the spindle of which is a toothed wheel which transmits motion through other wheels to a shaft 83. Rotation of the shaft 83 causes rotation of spur .wheels 87, 88 which engage racks 89, 90 provided on the legs 21. A spring 91 assists the rotation of the shaft 83 when the bed is being folded to form a chair.

March 12, 1940. c. FRECH ET AL ARTICLES 0F FURNITURE, SUCH AS BED CHAIRAND BED SETTEE Original Filed March 29, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOHN E .N/sso/v March 12, 1940. c, FRECH AL 2,193,402

ARTICLES 0F FURNITURE, SUCH- AS BED CHAIR AND B ED SETTEE 4 Sheets-Sheet2 Original Filed March 29, 1938 March 12, 1940. c, FRECH r AL 2,193,402

ARTICLES 0F FURNITURE, SUCH AS BED CHAIR AND BED SETTEE Original FiledMarch 29, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 //v:/s./v7-aao- 61701 455 FEE-CH JOHN E.JY/LSSo/V March 12, 1940. c, FRECH AL 2,193,402

SUCH AS BED CHAIR AND BED SETTEE ARTICLES 0F FURNITURE,

' 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed March 29, 1938 2 $2 FIG-.12. 24 asI/VVEJYTOIES 6569424156 ECH JOHN El, JV/LSSOA/ M %M# %S Patented Mar.12, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLES OF FURNITURE, SUCH AS BEDCHAIR AND BED SETTEE Charles Frech and John Eric Nilsson, London,

England November 7, 1938 9 Claims.

This invention is a division of our co-pending application, Serial No.198,767, filed March 29, 1938, and relates to improvements in bed chairsand bed settees of the kind in which an extension section is normallysupported on a main frame to which said section is hingedly or pivotallyconnected, the section being swung over to extend the supporting surfaceof the article to convert the chair or settee into a bed. 10 Bed chairsand bed settees of this kind have already been proposed in which, aftera predetermined initial swing-over movement of an extension section inrelation to the main frame of the article, one or more members on theswing-. ing extension automatically effect the projection of legsbeneath the main frame in which latter the said legs are normally housedand concealed.

In order to impart rigidity to the extended bed the leg-operatingmembers have been adapted to initiate or effect the projectionsimultaneously of two transverse pairs of legs, one pair at or near therear of the main frame forming the rear legs of the extended bed, andthe other pair at or near the front of the main frame, forming legsintermediate of the length of the extended bed.

The present invention is concerned with improvements in articles of thekind referred to. One of the main objects of the present invention is toprovide a bed chair or bed settee comprising a main frame provided withsubstantially vertical slidable rigid legs and an extension sectionpivoted thereto and carrying leg-operating means which remain stationaryduring a predetermined initial swing-over movement of the extensionabout one transverse axis of pivoting. The leg-operating membersfunction during the continued swing-over movement of the extension toproject the retracted legs and elevate the main frame, thus bringing ahorizontal sup porting surface provided on. said main frame intoalignment with a second horizontal supporting surface provided on theunderside of the extension.

Preferably the usual back of the chair or settee (and arm, if provided)move with the swingover extension section and the main frame of thechair or settee is provided with a separate upright member which isnormally disposed behind the chair or settee back and which forms a headboard when the chair or settee is converted to bed-like form.

Hitherto bed chairs and bed settees have generally been constructed sothat the main frame remains resting upon its own legs when com vertedinto a bed. In such constructions, a comfortable seat height above thefloor level results in a bed surface which is rather lower than that ofthe average bedstead. Alternatively, if pro- 5 vision is made for a bedsurface of usual bedstead height, the seating surface of the chair orsettee is uncomfortably high. The improved construction according tothis invention obviates these disadvantages by providing both a bed- 10surface and a chair or settee seating surface at comfortable heightabove floor level. This desirable result is achieved by the elevation ofthe main frame, as stated, into a position in which a horizontalsupporting surface provided on said main frame is brought into alignmentwith a second horizontal supporting surface provided on the underside ofthe swung-over extension section, thereby providing a full-lengthsupporting surface for mattresses and bed-clothing. 20

The leg-projecting mechanism is housed in the main frame of the chair orsettee and the legprojecting movements thereof are initiated through theagency of the leg-operating members carried by the extension sectionafter a predetermined initial swinging movement of said section.

It will have been understood from the foregoing description that theterm bed-legs is applied to movable legs carried by and adapted toproject below the main frame so as to elevate same. When the extensionsection has been fully swung over, with consequent elevation of the mainframe and the projection of the bedlegs, the chair or settee back mayform the support for the foot end of the end, or alternativelyextensible front or foot-end legs may be housed in the extensionsection, which are automatically projected to an operative position whenthe said section is swung over.

The main reason for providing for a delay in I the leg-projectingmovement while the extension section is swung through a predeterminedinitial movement, is to make it an easy task for the extension sectionto be swung up vertically and thereafter to take advantage of the weightof the pivoted section to exert a leg-projecting effort, such effortbeing aided, if desired, by the pulling power of springs associated withthe legprojecting mechanism, as will be apparent from the description ofparticular construction which follows. For the same reason, theactuating mechanism is also'arranged so that when converting a bed intoa chair or sette a predetermined initial swinging movement of theextension section must be made before the retraction of the bed-legs isinitiated or effected.

The accompanying drawings show, by way of example, three constructionsemploying rigid bed-legs housed when the article is in chair form partlyin the arms of the extension section and partly in the mainframe. Theconstruction shown in Figures 1 to 6 empioys leg-operating mechanism ofpivoted link form. Figure 1 shows the extension section after havingeffected a predetermined initial swing-over movement, the legprojectingmechanism being about to be put into operation, whilst Figure 2 showsthe chair during the leg-projecting movement. Figure 3 is apart-sectional elevation of the article in chair form, Figure 4 is afragmentary front view of the chair, Figure 5 is a sectional plan online V, V of Figure 3, to an enlarged scale and Figure 6 is alongitudinal section of the article in bed form.

A further modification is shown in Figures '7 to 10 in which the linkageis of lazy-tongs form. Figure '7 is a part-sectional side view of thearticle in chair form, Figure 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal section ofthe article in bed form, and Figures 9 and 16 are detail views of thelegprojecting mechanism.

In Figures 11 to 16 is shown a bed chair with leg-projecting mechanismof toothed-gear and chain-drive form, Figure 11 being a partsectionalside view. Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional plan on line XIIXII ofFigure 11, Figure 13 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view,Figure i l is a fragmentary end elevation, Figure 15 is a transversesection of the mechanism shown in Figure 14 and Figure 16 is a detailhereinafter described.

In the construction of bed chair illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, the mainframe A of the chair which normally rests upon the floor on an assemblyof four legs suitably braced and hereinafter referred to and describedas the bed-legs, comprises a pair of side boxes 2 with closed bottoms 3,a wire mattress 4 extending between said boxes 2 and an upright board 5which forms the head board of the bed when the article has beenconverted into bed form. The extension section B comprises a pair ofupholstered arms 5, an upholstered back i, a wire mattress 8 supportingan upholstered seat 9 and extending transversely between a pair of sideboxes l which latter extend vertically above and below the level of themattress 8, the upper part of said boxes IEI being enclosed within theupholstered arms 5. These boxes If! may serve also to house auxiliaryfront-end legs of the form described in the specification of ourconcurrent application Serial No. 198,767, already referred to. The useof these auxiliary legs is optional.

The main frame A and extension section B are connected together solelyby means of a pair of hinge bars l I, one at each side of the chair,said bars H being hinged to the boxes 2 of the main frame A at pivotsl2, and to the boxes [0 of the extension section B at pivots l3.

The wire mattress 4 of the main frame A is resiliently mounted for useas bed-supporting surface by being suspended on tension springs I4anchored to housings l and secured tothe walls of the boxes 2.Similarly, in order that the wire mattress 8 of the extension section Bshall yield when the seat 9 is sat on, rods 16 are provided which restupon compression springs I! carried in housings l8 secured to the wallsof the boxes I0. When the section B is swung over to form a bedextension the mattress 8 also yields to any weight imposed thereon byreason of the rods It then bearing down upon the compression springs [9carried in housings 20 also secured to the walls of the boxes Ill.

The bed-legs 2| are connected at their bottom portions by the side framemembers 26 and the front and rear frame members 28, and the lowerextremities of the legs are provided with feet 21. Said legs 21 areslidable in a substantially vertical direction in tubular guides 46 ofC-section (see Figure 5) are accommodated, together with the legoperating mechanism, partly in the opentop main frame boxes 2 and partlyin the openbottom extension boxes [5. The leg-operating mechanismcomprises main motion links 32 connected to the lower ends of the hingebars II, which transmit the swing of said hinge bars II to three-armedlevers 41 pivoted as at 4'! to the inner side walls 2 of the boxes andfrom thence through links 48 direct to one pair of bed-legs 2| andthrough links 49, and bell-crank levers 58, pivoted as at 50 to theouter side walls of the boxes 2 to links 5| pivoted to the middleportions of bars 52 swinging about pivots 53 and links 54 connected tothe upper ends of the other pair of legs 2|. Springs 55 and 5% controlthe swing of the linkage. The upper ends of the two legs 2| of each pairare connected together by steady bars 51. It will be apparent that whenthe hinge bars ll swing about pivots l2 the linkage operates to ejectthe retracted legs, the springs 55 and 55 assisting in the action. Itwill also be quite clear from the drawings that during the initialswing-over movement of the extension section B, said section swingsabout the pivots I3, without moving the hinge bars ll. When the sectionB reaches the position indicated in chain-dotted lines in Figure 3,inwardly projecting lugs 58 on the boxes l0 abut against the hithertostationary hinge bars H so that during the continued swinging movementof the section B, said bars l i move with the section and thus actuatethe leg-projecting mechanism. In other words the axis of swinging ofsection B is transferred from pivots 3 to pivots l2.

It will be observed that ample space for the storage of flock mattresses(which are preferably laced to the wire mattresses 4, 8) and of all thenecessary bed-clothes is afforded in the chair within the space betweenthe wire mattresses 4 and 8. Figure 1 illustrates clearly the extent towhich the extension section B can be swung over before theleg-projecting movements are effected, whilst Figure 2 shows how, afterthe predetermined initial swing-over movement has been effected, thecontinued swinging of the Section B is accompanied by the projection ofthe bed-legs. The opening at the front of the chair between the wiremattresses 4 and 8 is normally covered by a flexible curtain 45.

In the construction illustrated in Figures 7 to the leg-projectingmechanism is housed solely within the main frame boxes 2 and consists ofa series of links 59, 60 pivoted together in lazy-tong fashion, the endlink 60 being of crank form and connected to the lower end of the hingebar II. The pivot SI of the link 60 is mounted on a slider 52 which canmove along the slideway 63 under the pulling action of a spring 54operating through the agency of a second slider 55 connected to thefirst slider 52 by flexible wire cables 66. The outer end of thelazy-tongs assembly carries a roller 61 around which passes a length ofwire cable 68. This cable 58 which is wrapped around sheaves 69, 19 isanchored at opposite ends to the steadying bar 57 by means of which theupper ends of the legs 2| are interconnected. When the swinging hingebar I 1 extends the lazytongs assembly the cable 68 is rolled around thesheaves 69, I9 and the legs 2! are projected through the guides 45.

In the gear type of leg-operating mechanism shown in Figures 11 to 15,the lower end of the hinge bar H is connected to a roller chain H whichmoves over a pair of curved guides'l2 (see Figure 15 in particular),over upper and lower idler sprocket wheels 13 rotatably mounted inbrackets 14, around a driven sprocket wheel 15 mounted on a spindle l6journalled in the footstep bearing bracket 17, and around a tensioningor jockey sprocket wheel 78 mounted on an adjustable bearing-plate 79carried by the plate 80 which is supported by the spindle l6 and thespindle or pins of the idler sprockets IS. The guides 12 are alsosupported by the plate 89. On the spindle 16 is mounted a toothed bevelwheel Bl which transmits the motion imparted to 1 sprocket 15 from theswinging hinge bar H via the chain H to a bevel pinion 82 carried on alongitudinal shaft 83. A second pinion 84 transmits the motion toanother bevel wheel 85 mounted on a spindle 86. The spindle l6 and 86carry spur wheels 81, 88 respectively, which are in constant mesh withtoothed racks 89, 98 provided on the bed-legs 2!. It will be clear thatas the hinge bar H swings about its pivot l2 its swinging movement isconverted by the chain and toothed gear drive to a rotary motion whicheither projects or retracts the legs 2! according to the direction ofmovement of said bar H. A spring 9| encircling the shaft 83 and anchoredto the shaft at one end and to one of the shaft bearings 92 at the otheris coiled up as the legs 2| are projected and operates to assist theextension of said legs 2! when the seat section B is swung up.

The open top of the box 2 is covered when the bed is extended by athrow-over hinged cover plate 93 (see Figure 9, for example) and asimilar cover plate 94 is provided for covering the open bottom of thebox l0 when the extension section B is inverted. When the article is inchair form and the boxes 2 and ID are aligned in order to accommodatethe rigid bed-legs 2|, these cover plates are swung inwards as shown inFigures 1 and 2.

We claim:

1. An article of furniture for use as a chair or bed, including; a chairbase, comprising, a frame adapted to rest on the floor and havingopposite pairs of rigid upright legs, side members slidably mounted onsaid legs, a transverse mattress support connecting said side members,elevating means for said side members, hinge bars pivotally connected tosaid side members and operatively connected at their lower ends withsaid elevating means; a seat unit including a transverse mattresssupport, means for pivotally connecting the front end of the seat unitwith the hinge bars above their points of pivotal connection with theside members, and means carried by the seat unit for engaging the rearside of the hinge bars as the seat is tilted forwardly and downwardly toelevate the mattress support of the chair base as the seat unit is swungover upon the hinge bars.

2. An article of furniture for use as a chair or bed, including; a chairbase, comprising, a frame adapted to rest on the floor and havingopposite pairs of rigid upright legs connected at their upper ends by asteady bar, side members in the form of housings slidably mounted onsaid legs, a mattress support connecting the inner sides of said sidemembers; elevating means for said side member, said means including aplurality of levers carried by the side members and pivotally connectedby links with the steady bar, and a main actuating lever pivotallyconnected with one of said first named levers; hinge bars pivotallyconnected to the ends of said side members and operatively connected attheir lower ends with said main actuating lever; a seat unit including atransverse mattress support, means for pivotally connecting the frontend of the seat unit with the hinge bars above their points of pivotalconnection with the side members, and means carried by the seat unit forengaging the rear side of the hinge bars as the seat is tilted forwardlyand downwardly to move said bars and actuate said elevating means toelevate the mattress support of the chair base as the seat unit is swungover upon the hinge bars.

3. An article of'furniture for use as a chair or bed, including; a chairbase and a seat unit, hinge bars pivotally connecting the front ends ofthe said base and unit; a frame for said chair base including rigidupright legs and open top boxes forming side members slidable on thelegs, a mattress support connecting the inner side of said open topboxes, arm members for the seat unit, open bottom boxes arranged in thearm members of the seat unit; a transverse mattress support carried bysaid last named boxes, and the open bottoms of said last named boxesadapted to register with the said open top boxes slidable on the legswhen the chair base and seat unit are in normal chair constitutingrelation;

elevating means concealed in said registering boxes for lifting the opentop side boxes; actuating means connecting said elevating means with thelower ends of said hinge bars, and,

means carried by the boxes in the arms for engaging the upper ends ofthe hinge bars as the seat unit is tilted forwardly and outwardly tooperate said actuating means to elevate the mattress support of thechair base as the seat unit is swung over upon the hinge bars.

4. An article of furniture for use as a chair or bed, including; a chairbase and a seat unit; op-

posite pairs ofcasings each including upper and lower casingsrespectively in the chair base and seat unit and having spaced sidewalls and disposed in communicating relation; elevating means for saidlower casings, said means including, opposite pairs of rigid uprightlegs for the chair base, means for slidably guiding the lower casing ofeach pair on said legs, a pair of levers pivotally mounted in each ofthe lower casings v said actuating links, means for pivotally connectingthe seat unit with the hinge bars above the points of pivotal connectionbetween said bars and said lower casings, and means carried by said seatunit for engaging the rear side of said hinge bars when the seat unit istilted forwardly and outwardly thereby to move said as the seat unit isswung over upon the hinge bars.

5. An article of furniture for use as a chair or bed, including; a chairbase, comprising, a frame adapted to rest on the floor and havingopposite pairs of rigid upright legs, side members, including oppositeside walls connected by a bottom wall, said bottom wall having openingsfor receiving a pair of said legs, a steady bar connecting the upperends of each pair of legs, a mattress support connecting the inner sidewalls of the side members; a seat unit also including hollow armsadapted to normally receive and house the upper ends of said legs andthe connected steady bar when the article of furniture is in chairconstituting position; elevating means for said side members, saidelevating means comprising for each side member, a bell crank leverpivoted to one or" the walls of the side member and a three-armed leverpivoted to another of the walls of the side members, one arm of saidthree-armed lever connected with a link pivotally supported near theupper end of one of the leg members, a link member connecting anotherarm of said three-armed lever with one arm of the bell crank lever, aspring having one end anchored to the bottom wall of each side memberand having its other end connected to the junction of said link with oneof the arms of the three arm lever, a medially jointed link having itslower extremity pivotally connected with one of the walls of the sidemember and its upper extremity anchored near the front leg member, ashort link pivotally connecting one arm of the bell crank lever with oneof the sections of the said last named jointed link, a spring connectingsaid last two named links, and an actuating link having one endconnected to an arm of said three-armed lever; hinge bars pivotallyconnected with the front ends of the side members and having their lowerends pivotally connecting with said actuating links; means pivotallyconnecting the front end of the seat unit with the hinge bars abovetheir point of pivotal mounting in the side members, and means in thehollow arms of the seat unit for engaging the rear side of the hingebars as the seat is tilted forwardly and outwardly thereby to move thehinge bars and operate the said actuating link of the actuating means tocause the said links and levers to elevate the side members and lift themattress support carried thereby into alinement with the mattresssupport of the seat unit.

6. An article of furniture for use as a chair or bed, comprising; achair base, including opposite pairs of rigid upright legs, a steady barconnecting the upper ends of said legs, opposite side members eachslida-bly mounted on a pair of said legs, a mattress support arrangedbetween and connecting the side members; a seat unit normallysuperimposed on the base, a transverse mattress support carried by theseat; hinge bars pivoted at the front end of each of the side memhere,means pivotally mounting said seat unit on said bars above their pointof pivotal connection with the side members, means on the seat unit forengaging said oars above said last mentioned pivots; and means forraising and lowering the side members of the chair base, said meanscomprising, elevating means carried by each of the side members andincluding a main actuating link pivotally connected with the lower endof each hinge bar, whereby when the seat is tilted forwardly andoutwardly the hinge bars will be moved to operate said actuating meansto lift the side members and raise the mattress support carried therebyas the seat unit is swung over upon the hinge bars.

'7. An article of furniture for use as a chair or bed, as set forth inclaim 6, wherein the main actuating link of each elevating means foreach side member connects with one arm of a threearmed lever pivoted tothe inside wall of the side member, a bell-crank lever each rockablysupported on a different axis in the outer wall of each side member, alower link connecting a second arm of the three-armed lever and one armof the bell-crank lever, a spring for normally iniparting tension tosaid lower link, an upper link pivotally connecting the third arm ofsaid three arm lever with one of the legs, a jointed link having itsupper end connect-ed near another of said legs and its lower endpivotally connected with the outer wall of said side member, and aspring tensioned short link connecting said jointed link with the otherarm of said bell-crank lever.

8. An article of furniture for use as a chair or bed, comprising; chairbase, including opposite pairs of rigid upright legs, a steady barconnecting the upper ends of said legs, opposite side members slidablymounted on a pair of said legs, a mattress support arranged between andconnecting the side members; a seat unit normally superimposed on thebase, a transverse mattress sup- 1 port carried by the seat; hinge barspivoted at the front end of each of the side members, means pivotallymounting said seat unit on said bars above their point of pivotalconnection with the side members, means on the seat unit for engagingsaid bars above said last mentioned pivots; and means for raising andlowering the side mem bers of the chair base, said means comprising,elevating means carried by each of the side members and including aguide track carried by one of the walls or the side member, sheavemembers journaled in the side member at the opposite ends of saidguidetrack, a lazy-tongs unit including a link oi'crank formation havingits forward end connected to the lower end of its related hinge bar, andits knuckle portion mounted on a slide shiftable in said guideway, asecond slide member also movable in said guideway, a spring having oneend anchored to the side member and its other end anchored to the saidsecond slide memher, a roller carried by the end of the lazy-tongs unitopposite said cranked link, a cable having its ends anchored to thesteady bar and having its medial portion passing over said roller andthe portions between that passing over the roller and the anchored endspassing around said sheaves, whereby when the cranked link of thelazy-tongs unit is operated by the lower end of the hinge bar the saidroller carried by the lazytongs unit will pull and thereby tend toshorten the cable to lift the side bars and thereby elevate the mattresssupport carried thereby.

9. An article of furniture for use as a chair or bed, comprising; achair base, including opposite pairs of rigid upright legs in the formof rack bars with their teeth facing inwardly, a steady bar connectingthe upper ends of said legs, opposite side members each slidably mountedon a pair of said legs, a mattress support arranged between andconnecting the side members; a seat unit normally superimposed on thebase, a transverse mattress support carried by the seat; hinge barspivoted at the front end of each of the side members, means pivotallymounting said seat unit on said bars above their point of pivotalconnection with the side members,,means on the seat unit for engagingsaid bars above said last mentioned pivots; and means for raising andlowering the side members of the chair base, said means comprising,elevated means carried by each of the side members and including aspring tensioned shaft journaled in the side members, bevel pinions atopposite ends of said shaft, gears rohinge bar by the seat will actuatethe elevating 10 means.

CHARLES FRECH. JOHN ERIC NILSSON.

